Best Laid Plans
by Blue Obsidian Butterfly
Summary: All Riley wants is to fly home in peace but Gabriel wants something and it's going to get them into trouble, she just knows it.


**Disclaimer: If they aren't going to make a second season why don't they give the show to us? Tis' the season and all...**

**A/N: I felt like writing an Intelligence Fanfic so I did :)**

Best Laid Plans

"Hey" Riley looked up from the file she had been reading to acknowledge her partner with a nod. Their latest case was over and they were flying home courtesy of a Cyber Com private jet which, in her opinion beat the heck out of flying coach. It was late and to say she was tired would be a complete understatement. If Gabriel felt the same way it didn't show, in fact it was almost as if solving a case or completing a mission renewed him. It was actually kind of annoying.

"What's up?" she asked when he didn't say anything else, putting the file down on the table in front of her (she had been trying to stay awake until they got home but so far she wasn't having a whole lot of luck.)

"I was just wondering if.."

"No" she said, cutting him off and adding on a smile so he knew she wasn't serious (even though she was too tired to put much effort in.)

"I haven't even asked yet" He replied, falling easily into their banter as he slid into the seat opposite her with far more grace than people gave him credit for. Of course his slightly cocky smile ruined the effect.

"Just getting in early" He rose an eyebrow and ordinarily she would have copied the movement just to annoy him but right now she couldn't find the energy. Keeping her eyes open was quite a challenge but the minute she fell asleep something was bound to go wrong. It was like the universe was just waiting for the moment she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer to suddenly wreak havoc on her life. It didn't help that Gabriel had a way of finding trouble and running head first into it. He should have come with a warning label.

"So as I was saying" she held up a hand to stop the rest of his sentence and he sent her a questioning look which she ignored. "How many ways could it go wrong?"

"Well..."

"Nope, not happening"

"Come on Riley, everything that's worth doing in life could go wrong in so many ways but you have to live a little" Ordinarily at this point they would argue for several minutes before he managed to talk her into an (admittedly) reckless plan and then the whole running-headlong-into-danger thing occurred and then she had to explain the whole thing to Lillian. Her boss expected it from him but whenever she was involved Lillian came down particularly hard. Right now she was far too tired to indulge the whole thing (how much trouble could Gabriel possibly get up to on an aeroplane? Nope, wait the man had a chip in his brain so probably a lot) so she settled for shaking her head and picking up the file, ending the conversation.

"What if I promise to be careful?" Of course Gabriel didn't take the hint but really what had she expected?

"No" she replied without taking her eyes away from the file. If she didn't look at him then perhaps he would leave her be and then they could have a nice, quiet flight home without anything going wrong.

"Awww, come on mum" She glared at him and immediately regretted in when, against her better judgement she looked at him and that damn crestfallen expression on his face. It should be illegal to pull off a wounded puppy dog expression as well as he somehow managed. It never failed to tug at her heart and made saying no extremely difficult. Maybe she should have stuck to arguing, that way they could at least come to a compromise. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, imagining the look on Lillian's face when she was forced to explain why they had gotten themselves into trouble again. It helped for about five seconds which is the time it took Gabriel to work up some fake tears (who would have thought the world's greatest super weapon would stoop so low.)

"What is it?" she hoped she didn't sound as resigned as she felt. She was stalling, hoping that he would lose the look and she would regain the ability to say no. Why was this effecting her so much anyway? Perhaps she was a lot more tired than she realised.

"Well you see" he began, suddenly transforming into a child on Christmas day. It was almost as if she had already say yes and that annoyed her. She welcomed the feeling, using it to build her resolve. They had managed to stay out of trouble for (the better part of) a week and they were NOT getting into it now.

"There is this game"

"Does it involve alcohol?"

"If you interrupt this is going to take far too long" she gestured for him to continue, sliding lower into her seat. He sent her a smile before continuing "it takes two players and is traditionally done in the office during one's break but I think we can make it work here. Basically it's kind of like a truth and dare/spin the bottle hybrid that I found on the internet. It sounds really fun" he paused, waiting for the obligatory teen sleepover comment that he expected from her but it never came. Curiously he looked closely at her and realised she had fallen asleep. He should be offended, after all they had been having a conversation but she looked far too relaxed. Her head was tilted to the side, eyelashes fluttering as one had rested on the table, the other not far from her gun (even in sleep she protected herself.)

As quietly as he could manage he stood up, sliding off his jacket and tip-toeing over to her. He gently covered her with it, tensing as he waited for her to wake up and knock him on his ass (he would expect nothing less of her) but she remained sound asleep. He smiled at the sight, once again sitting across from her and pretty soon the sound of her quiet breaths lulled him to sleep.

Despite riley's prediction nothing of the troubling variety occurred (unless you count Gabriel's snoring which, if she had been awake she would have described as the sound a dying cow makes) and they both made it home without incident. The same could not be said for Nelson who, in the time it had taken them to fly home was having a rather animated argument with the fax machine.


End file.
